Review 4 Flashcards
Dogleg
a sharp bend, especially in a road, or on a golf course:
The driver lost control as he tried to negotiate a dogleg on a steep mountain road.
The 17th hole is a left-hand dog-leg.
Well to do
showing signs of being successful; rich:
It was a well-to-do neighborhood of large, single-family homes with big backyards.
Well to do families
Aphid
any of various small insects, such as the greenfly, that suck the juices of plants for food
Entity
something that exists apart from other things, having its own independent existence:
The museums work closely together, but are separate legal entities.
He regarded the north of the country as a separate cultural entity.
Elicit
to get or produce something, especially information or a reaction:
Have you managed to elicit a response from them yet?
The questionnaire was intended to elicit information on eating habits.
They were able to elicit the support of the public.
specialized education to get a student to provide or remember a fact, response, etc. rather than telling them the answer:
The teacher elicits definitions from the students.
In this teaching practice, teachers elicit and build on their students’ mathematical insights.
Bloater
a herring or mackerel that has been kept in salt water and then lightly smoked
Pugilist
formal a boxer or fighter:
a bare-knuckle pugilist
Rascal
a person, especially a child or a man, who does things that you disapprove of, but who you still like:
I caught those little/young rascals dressing up in my clothes.
What’s that old rascal been up to?
Caveat
a warning, for example about the use or effectiveness of something:
One caveat: Know when passengers must be back on board the plane.
Bap
a round, soft form of bread that is usually smaller than a loaf:
a soft white bap
Tempest
A violent storm
tempest in a teapot
something of no importance that causes a great deal of excitement or trouble:
It seemed like an innocent remark, but it set off a tempest in a teapot.
Heather
a low, spreading bush, usually with small pink, purple, or white flowers, that grows wild, especially on hills
Caddy
a small container
tea caddy
Bedaub
formal to cover something very roughly with something sticky or dirty:
The child’s face was bedaubed with chocolate.
Masticate
specialized
to chew (= crush with the teeth) food
Timorous
Timid
nervous and without much confidence
Latent
present but needing particular conditions to become active, obvious, or completely developed:
Recent developments in the area have brought latent ethnic tension out into the open.
We’re trying to bring out the latent artistic talents that many people possess without realizing it.
Dormant
(of things) not active or growing, but having the ability to be active at a later time:
a dormant volcano
Most roses being sold now are dormant, and without any soil around their roots.
Nectar
a sweet liquid produced by flowers and collected by bees:
The bee turns nectar into honey.
Nectar is also a drink made from some fruits:
apricot nectar
Shun
to avoid or refuse to accept someone or something:
She shunned publicity after she retired from the stage.
Armistice
Truce
a formal agreement between two countries or groups at war to stop fighting for a particular time, especially to talk about possible peace:
A two-week armistice has been declared between the rival factions.
Prance
to walk in an energetic way and with more movement than necessary:
It’s pathetic to see 50-year-old rock stars prancing around on stage as if they were still teenagers.
She pranced into the office and demanded to speak to the manager.
Cavort
to dance around, having a noisy good time:
A group of teenagers were cavorting in the park.
Rebuke
Reproach
fml to criticize someone strongly because you disapprove of what the person has said or done:
He was publicly rebuked for his involvement in the scandal.
Reproach
to criticize someone, especially for not being successful or not doing what is expected:
His mother reproached him for not eating all his dinner.
You have nothing to reproach yourself for/with.
To do
informal a show of anger, worry, or excitement that is unnecessary or greater than the situation deserves:
Getting our passports renewed was such a to-do.
Commotion
a sudden, short period of noise, confusion, or excited movement:
His arrival caused quite a commotion.
He looked up to see what all the commotion was about.
Nozzle
a narrow piece attached to the end of a tube so that the liquid or air that comes out can be directed in a particular way:
Attach the nozzle to the hose before turning on the water.
a tube-shaped opening that allows liquids to be poured out of a container:
Fruit is put into the blender and juice comes out the spout.
One two
an exchange of passes between two football players, with one player passing the ball to another who then passes it quickly back to the first player:
Sinton played a one-two with Holloway before scoring.
Aspen
a tree of the poplar family, with leaves that shake even when there is only a little wind:
On our walk along the river we passed thundering waterfalls and quivering aspens.
Poplar
a tall tree with branches that form a thin pointed shape:
a tall row of poplars
Panacea
Cure all
something that will solve all problems or cure all illnesses:
Books are not meant to be a panacea for an illness or loss.
There’s a danger in believing that the drug is a cure-all.
Supple
bending or able to be bent easily; not stiff:
I’m not supple enough (= my body doesn’t bend easily enough) to touch the floor.
The gloves were made of very supple leather.
Agile
able to move about quickly and easily:
Years of ballet and modern dance had made her strong and agile.
fig. He has an agile mind (= He can think
Conceit
the state of being too proud of yourself and your actions:
The conceit of that man is incredible!
Sluice
an artificial channel for carrying water, with an opening at one end to control the flow of the water
If water sluices out from somewhere, it flows in large amounts:
Water sluiced out from the pipes.
to wash something with a large amount of running water:
We had to sluice out the garage to get rid of the smell of petrol.
Strenuous
needing or using a lot of physical or mental effort or energy:
He rarely does anything more strenuous than changing the channels on the television.
His doctor advised him not to do any strenuous exercise.
Strenuous efforts were made throughout the war to disguise the scale of civilian casualties.
Arduous
difficult and tiring, or needing a great deal of effort:
In those days, a trip to the West was an arduous journey.
Menagerie
/məˈnædʒ.ɚ.i/
a collection of wild animals that are kept privately or to show to the public
Centenary
/senˈten.er.i/ uk us centennial (the day or year that is) 100 years after an important event: centenary celebrations Next year is the centenary of her death.
Jitter
slight uncontrolled movement or shaking, for example in electronic equipment:
You may notice jitter on the screen.
aircraft jitter
Gasbag
Windbag
/ˈɡæs.bæɡ/ informal
a person who always talks too much
Decorum
/dɪˈkɔːr.əm/ formal
Propriety
behaviour that is controlled, calm, and polite:
As young ladies we were expected to act/behave with proper decorum.
Impropriety
/ˌɪm·prəˈprɑɪ·ɪ·t̬i/
dishonest behavior, or a dishonest act:
[ U ] He said he regretted the appearance of impropriety and resigned.
[ C ] There have been charges of financial improprieties.
Proprietary
/prəˈprɑɪ·ɪˌter·i/
owned and legally controlled by a particular company:
This is proprietary software, and you have no right to copy it without a license from the owner.
Charlatan
/ˈʃɑːr.lə.t̬ən/ disapproving
a person who pretends to have skills or knowledge that they do not have, especially in medicine
Calibre
the quality of someone or something, especially someone’s ability:
If teaching paid more it might attract people of (a) higher calibre.
The competition entries were of such (a) high calibre that judging them was very difficult.
Gainsay
formal to refuse to accept something as the truth:
Certainly there’s no gainsaying (= it is not possible to doubt) the technical brilliance of his performance.
Amalgamate
to join or unite to form a larger organization or group, or to make separate organizations do this:
The electricians’ union is planning to amalgamate with the technicians’ union.
The different offices will be amalgamated as/into employment advice centres.
Venison
the flesh of a deer used as meat
Benison
A blessing
‘the rewards and benisons of marriage’
Mediocre
just acceptable but not good; not good enough:
The movie’s plot is predictable, the dialogue is second-rate, and the acting is mediocre.
Parents don’t want their children going to mediocre schools.
Array
a large group of things or people, especially one that is attractive or causes admiration or has been positioned in a particular way:
There was a splendid array of food on the table.
They sat before an array of microphones and cameras.
to arrange a group of things in a particular way:
A large number of magazines were arrayed on the stand.
Arrayed (= standing in a group) before him were 40 schoolchildren in purple and green.
Eclectic
/ekˈlek.tɪk/ formal Methods, beliefs, ideas, etc. that are eclectic combine whatever seem the best or most useful things from many different areas or systems, rather than following a single system: an eclectic style/approach an eclectic taste in literature
It was an eclectic mix of our ethnic foods and traditional Thanksgiving food.
Bone up
Informal to learn as much as you can about something for a special reason:
She boned up on economics before applying for the job.
She boned up on her Spanish before going to Mexico.
Impasse
a situation in which progress is impossible, especially because the people involved cannot agree:
The dispute had reached an impasse, as neither side would compromise.
We have reached an impasse in the negotiations – neither side will budge.
Budge
If something will not budge or you cannot budge it, it will not move:
I’ve tried moving the desk but it won’t budge/I can’t budge it.
The demonstrators would not budge from the governor’s office.
to change your opinion or to make someone change their opinion:
I’ve tried persuading her, but she won’t budge.
Fling
Toss
to throw or move something suddenly and with force:
I rushed right up to him and flung my arms around his neck and hugged him.
She flung open the door and greeted us warmly.
Soirée
/swɑːˈreɪ/ formal
an evening party, often with musical entertainment
Cummerbund
Sash
a wide piece of cloth worn round the waist, especially by men, as part of formal or Western Asian clothing
Rap
[ I/T ] to hit suddenly and forcefully:
[ I ] We heard him rap on the door.
[ T ] She rapped the table to get everyone’s attention.
Tinsel
long pieces of thin, shiny material used as decoration, especially at Christmas:
a Christmas tree decorated with tinsel
Havoc
confusion and lack of order that result in damage or trouble:
The storm created complete havoc in the park.
Crèche
/kreʃ/
a place where young children are taken care of during the day while their parents do something else, especially work, study, or shop:
Her son was in the crèche while she worked.
There are no creche facilities provided for staff.
Retainer
old-fashioned a servant who has usually been with the same family for a long time:
a faithful old retainer
Opine
/oʊˈpaɪn/ formal
to express an opinion:
[ + speech ] Power grows from the barrel of a gun, opined Mao.
[ + that ] Ernest Rutherford opined that his work on radioactive substances would be of little or no practical use.
Tirade
Broadside
a long, angry speech expressing strong disapproval:
She launched into an angry/furious tirade about how she had been unfairly treated.
In a furious tirade of abuse, the opposition spokesperson demanded the minister’s resignation.
a strong written or spoken attack (on someone):
The candidate fired/launched yet another broadside at the president.
Republicans launched another broadside at the president.
Yonder
Dated
in the place or direction shown; over there:
She lives in that town yonder.
Bedevil
Plague
to confuse, annoy, or cause problems or difficulties for someone or something:
Ever since I started playing tennis, I’ve been bedevilled by back pains.
Financial problems have been plaguing the company.
That pain in my shoulder is plaguing me again.
Rebut
Refute
fml to argue that a statement or claim is not true:
He appeared on TV to rebut the charges against him.
She has rebutted charges that she has been involved in any financial malpractice.
Faction
a group within a larger group, esp. one with slightly different ideas than the main group:
The president’s advisors represent every faction of his party.
Splinter group
a group of people who have left a political party or other organization and formed a new separate organization:
The Socialist Workers’ Party seemed to split into several splinter groups.
Dear
mainly uk costing too much:
The food was good but very dear.
Flank
to be at the side of someone or something:
Secret Service agents flanked the president’s car.
the side of something:
Troops attacked the enemy’s left flank.
A person’s or animal’s flanks are the sides of its body between the ribs and the hips.
Aver
formal to say that something is certainly true:
The lawyer averred her client’s innocence.
[ + speech ] “He’s guilty, I tell you,” she averred.
[ + that ] She averred that he was guilty.
Ethos
the set of moral beliefs, attitudes, habits, etc., that are characteristic of a person or group:
Violence is part of their ethos.
national ethos
working-class ethos
The ethos of the traditional family firm is being threatened.
Nippy
Quick
uk informal able to change speed and direction easily:
a nippy little car
cold:
It’s a bit nippy outside.
Topical
relating to matters of importance at the present time:
It was an interesting discussion of topical issues in medicine.
a topical joke
The discussion focused on topical issues in medicine.
Cinder
Ember
a small piece of partly burned coal or wood:
Get rid of the cinders before you build a new fire.
The cake was burned to a cinder (= burned black).
We sat by the glowing/dying embers of the fire.
Fete
/feɪt/ uk us fair
a public event, often held outside, where you can take part in competitions and buy small things and food, often organized to collect money for a particular purpose:
a summer fete
They’re holding the village fete on the green.
Dire
very serious or extreme:
Cheating will bring dire consequences.
These people are in dire need of help.
He gave a dire warning that an earthquake was imminent.
This decision will have dire consequences for local people.
Flummox
informal
to confuse someone so much that they do not know what to do:
I have to say that last question flummoxed me.
